At the end of last week’s episode, I promised you leftovers. Hey! I heard that groan! You aren’t tired of leftovers already, are you? I mean it’s turkey and all the fixins! Well, tired of leftovers or not, that is what we’re having today as Landon and I bring you a little day-after-Thanksgiving fun 🙂

Episode 7: Leftover Turkey

The Poem

The Picture

Art by Landon

See that wasn’t bad at all…not your typical leftovers, huh? Thanks so much for joining us and please come back in two weeks for our next episode.

I am repeating a post today for the first time ever. I posted this back in 2012. It’s one of my favorite books and so I’m going to share it with you again. If you haven’t read it, you must! I learned about this book when Sylvie Frank read it to us 2012 Rocky Mountain SCBWI conference. I loved her reading and have read this book over and over many times since.

Synopsis: (from Kirkus) Mouse creeps out on Thanksgiving Day as the human family enjoys its post-prandial nap. He spots a pea on the uncleared table, and then a cranberry, then an olive, then a carrot stick…Thinking to himself, “One is a feast for me,” he soon amasses one of everything, until a tower of food teeters on its base of one pea. Ebbeler’s full-bleed, double-page spreads make the most of the humor made available by situation and scale—spot the bespectacled mouse dwarfed by his pile as he marches past Pilgrim salt-and-pepper shakers just his size. Greed goeth before a fall, however, in a slapstick climax children will relish.

Opening: After Thanksgiving dinner Mouse crept out of his hidey-hole and looked around. The house was quiet. Dad snoozed in his chair with his book. Mom dozed in front of the TV. Outside, the kids played football in the crisp yellow leaves. Cat curled up by the fire. He yawned and stretched his stripy tail. Then he closed his greeny eyes and went to sleep. Mouse scampered up the tablecloth. Thanksgiving leftovers were still on the table. So much to eat! Mouse saw a teensy-tiny, toothsome, green pea all by itself under a plate. Give thanks, he thought. One will be a feast for me.

Why I Like This Book: As I said, this book is charming. It is a humorous tale, with plenty of action, where readers will recognize Mouse’s temptation to be greedy and, in the end, his thankfulness for the little things. Judy Cox’s uses words that beg to be repeated such as catter-whumpus, toothsome, greeny, and stripy. Although I was too far away to see the illustrations when Sylvie read to us at the conference, I was completely engaged. After picking up a copy at my library, I was even more taken by the text when merged with the artwork. The illustrations by Jeffrey Ebbeler (who, also, illustrated some of our own Susanna Leonard Hill’s books) are from Mouse’s perspective. Your mood will be very Thanksgiving-y after reading this fun story!

Susanna Leonard Hill features Perfect Picture Book Friday on her blog. This is a wonderful resource if you are wondering what books to give as gifts, needing material for a lesson, or just looking for a great book to read. Here is a list of books by category. Each book listed has a link to a review, information about that book, and resources for activities. There is also an alphabetical list.

Today’s poem is a chain reaction of thoughts: November-Thanksgiving-Food-Especially dessert-Pie! Since I’m not a pumpkin pie fan…(I know! But I just don’t like it 🙂 )… I went with one of my favorite kinds of pie. And…Yum! Landon’s drawing will make your mouth water!

Episode 6: Peach Pie

The Poem

The Picture

Art by Landon

Thanks so much for joining us for Episode 6. We’ll see you back in two weeks just in time for Thanksgiving leftovers 🙂 And that’s a promise!

Last October, I reviewed On a Windy Night by Nancy Raines Day. Today, I’m reviewing her latest book.

Way Down Below DeepWritten by Nancy Raines Day
Illustrated by David Sheldon
Pelican Publishing Company 2014Ages: 5-8
Themes: Ocean, Animals, Language Fun

Synopsis: Far below the jeweled surface of the oceans, deeper than the sun’s rays can dive, there are fantastical creatures unlike anything seen on land. Deep currents—cold, black, and full of mystery—are home to secretive fellows such as the anglerfish, which uses light as bait, and vampire squid, whose red eyes peer out from a cloak of spiny tentacles as it “flies” through the water. Down in these depths, whale bones become entire cities where palm worms sway. Abyssal residents come from near and far to visit the pages of this book!

Teeming with information, Nancy Raines Day’s clever rhymes transport readers to the extraordinary world at the bottom of the sea. How big is a giant squid’s eye? What do sea cucumbers eat? Where do bottom dwellers go to get warm? In this aquatic adventure, kids and adults alike will be delighted by what they learn about some of the world’s most unique inhabitants. Accompanied by stunning artwork, the strange depths of Earth’s oceans have never been closer and more inviting.

Opening: Way down below deep, where the sun never goes,
Imagine the creatures that nobody knows.
Though deep sea fills up most of Earth’s total space,
We’re just finding out about life in this place.

Resources: There is a glossary of terms in the back of the book that would bode well for research. Each creature is named with a short definition. Older students could research a creature further. For the very young, I found some adorable cupcakes HERE that children could make. HERE are some Under the Sea activities on the KidsAhead website.

Why I Like This Book: WAY DOWN BELOW DEEP is rhyming nonfiction. The rhyming is fun, of course! Plus, deep sea creatures are so intriguing to me. I know from teaching school for 26 years that kids are intrigued by them, also. WAY DOWN BELOW DEEP gives young kids a quick, informative glance at twelve creatures. Each creature is given a whole spread. Within that spread is an extra fun fact or two. For instance: Tube worms can grow taller than a man in a few years and they smell like rotten eggs! Fun, huh? But that’s all I’m sharing…so unless you own a ROV (remotely operated vehicle) to view way down below deep yourself, you need to grab this book and have a look 🙂

Susanna Leonard Hill, most magnificent host of Perfect Picture Book Friday, has compiled a categorized list of the books that have been reviewed. It’s an incredible resource for parents and teachers. For me as a writer, it has been a way to build my library list each week. To access the list, click HERE.